Spring-hinge



(Nd Model.)

T. BUTLER.

Wiz'tmew, v tigwifiz i I I v}, aavmzmz-a,

N. PETERS. mmumum, wmla m. o a

Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE BUTLER, or CLEVELAND, OHIO...

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFIGATIO N fOrming part of Letters Patent No. 277,881, dated May 22, 1883.

I Application filed July 24, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE BUTLER, of Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Spring- Hinges, of which the following is a specification.

The nature and objects of this invention will fully appear from the subjoined description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure lisa front elevation of a hinge embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a' crosssection in line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa detached view of a loose sliding stop or pawl employed to engage with and hold the ratchet and prevent it from turning. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the head E.

A and B are the two leaves of a hinge turning on a pintle, G. The joints of this hinge are at the ends of the leaves, leaving an open space between for a spiral spring, S, and its attachments. Said spring surrounds the pintle C, and is secured at its lower end in a hollow sleeve, D, having aslotin one side, through which the end of the wire composing spring protrudes and engages with the leaf A. The upper end of said spring is provided with a ratcheted head, E, through which the pintle (l passes loosely, and has a neck, 0, which enters the two firstcoils of the spring, and has a slot into which the bent end of the spring enters, as seen at c, Fig. 2. The upper portion of said head E is provided with projecting ratchet-teeth ff, which extend outward from the periphery of the head and beyond the circumference of the spring. The top surface of said head also has radial slots i i, for the purpose of applying a nail or otherinstrument for turning said head in regulating the tension of the spring.

G is a loose sliding pawl or stop, having a V-shaped groove, g,in oneside, which is fitted to 'slide on the beveled inside edge of leaf B between the twojoints.

side of the springythe uppeneud arranged to engage with the ratchet,as shown in Fig. 1. It has a projection, h, which serves as a knob for pushing it back and forth. The operation of this device is as follows 1 The hinge is attached to a door and doorframe in the usual manner. Toincrease or relieve the tension of the spring, a nail or other suitable instrument is inserted in one of the slots in the ratcheted head E and used as a lever for turning it, which act releases the pawl G, when, if desired, it may be allowed to slide down, giving freedom to the spring; bu ti'f desired to increase the tension of the spring the said head is turned up farther and the pawl pushed up to engage with the ne xt tooth. Whenever it is desired to relieve the spring entirely the pawl is allowed to remain down.

Having described my invention, I claim- The loose sliding pawl Gr, havingV-shaped groove g, fitting beveled edge of leafB, and a projection, h, in combination with the ratcheted head E for regulating the tension of the spring S, as shown and described.

' THEODORE BUTLER.

Witnesses GEo. W. TIBBI'rTs, E. W. LAIRD.

The opposite side of said pawl is curved, to fit and slide along the- 

